comes to bed before ten, so I shall be quite safe getting out of
the house. I can drop from the window, but I should prefer going by the
back door; and I don't think Maria will betray me."

Just then Alice strolled into the room. She looked rather nice; she wore
a very pretty pink muslin blouse, which suited her well. Her hair was
neatly arranged; her face was calm. She stood before Kathleen.

"I wish--" she said suddenly.

Kathleen raised her head.

"And I wish you wouldn't stand between me and the lamp. Don't you see
that I am reading?"

"I want you to stop reading. I have something to say."

"Indeed!"

Kathleen longed to be very rude, but she thought of her delightful plan
so close at hand, and refrained.

"I must humor her if I can by any possibility keep my temper," was her
thought. Then aloud: "What is it you want? I hope you will be very
quick, for I am rather sleepy and intend to go to bed soon."

"I hope you won't do it again, that's all."

"Do what again?" asked Kathleen.

"Spend your money on buying food for us. We are not so poor as all that.
My mother is paid by your father to give you your meals; your father
doesn't expect you to buy them over again."

"Dad always likes me to do what I wish," replied Kathleen calmly.

"Well, don't do it again. It's extremely displeasing both to David and
me."

Kathleen laughed.

"Dave gobbled up his sausage and his sardines," she said.

"Don't do it again, that's all."

Kathleen nodded her head, and again buried herself in her book.

"And there is another thing," continued Alice, dropping into a chair by
Kathleen's side. "You are very low down in the school. Two of the
mistresses spoke to me about you to-day. They don't like to see a great
overgrown girl like you in a class with little children; it does neither
you nor the school credit. They fear that during this term you may be
forced to continue in your present low position; but they earnestly hope
that you will work very hard, so as to be removed into a higher form.
You ought, after Christmas, to get into a class at least two removes
higher up in the school. That is what I came to say. I suppose you have
a certain sense of honor, and you don't want your father's money to be
thrown away."

"Bedad, then! he has plenty of money, and I don't much care," replied
Kathleen.

She lay back in her chair and whistled "Garry Owen" in a most insolent
manner.

"If you have really made up your mind not to